October 15, 2026 / SemiMedia / — An explosion and fire at Intel’s Kiryat Gat site in Israel on October 14 left one worker dead and two others seriously injured. All three were initially hospitalized with severe injuries, and one later died.

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service received the report at 2:12 p.m. local time and dispatched eight teams, including hazardous materials specialists. The fire was extinguished, while crews continued monitoring hazardous substances and checking the site for further risks.

Police suspect a gas cylinder malfunction during the transfer of material into the factory’s tanks. The cause remains under investigation. Fire officials said the incident involved nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), a specialty gas used in semiconductor processing.

Kiryat Gat is a major Intel manufacturing location, housing Fab 28 alongside the Fab 38 expansion project. According to construction contractor Hoffman Construction, Fab 38 is designed to provide more than 600,000 square feet of cleanroom space and accommodate equipment for EUV-based manufacturing processes. Any impact on production or the expansion schedule remains to be confirmed.